Post support



Oct. 27, 1959 R. J. WOOD Filed 001:. 27, 1955 United States I Patent Ofiice 2,909,816 Patented Oct. 27, 1959 POST SUPPORT Robert J. Wood, San Jose, Calif., assignor to Woodmack Products, Inc, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of California Application October 27, 1955, Serial 543,115 3 Claims. (Cl. 20-98) with a supporting surface, as of concrete, yet securely anchored thereto through attachment to a projecting metal stud are increasingly employed because of the structural advantages obtained. In addition to providing a rigid anchor for the base of the post, the same is freed from the decomposing effects of dry rot. Since the number of such post supports utilized has become large, simplicity of structure, fabrication and installation are each of utmost significance.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present in vention to provide a post support which is of simple structural character, which is readily and quickly constructed and which is easy to install, yet'which provides a structurally desirable support for a post.

A feature of the invention relates to the formation of the post support from simple die-formed parts that are secured together during assembly and installation, thus obviating the necessity of welding or other fastening operations.

Another feature relates to the design of the post support so that upon installation, vertical or horizontal shifting of the post even though subjected to relatively extreme forces, such as might be encounte'redin an earthquake, are precluded.

A further feature concerns the attaining of structural rigidity between the post and a projecting stud by use of the post suport even though the stud be misplaced and accommodation of such misplacement is required.

Yet another feature relates to the arrangement of the post support which enables the lateral insertion of post into position on the support.

An additional feature involves the arrangement of the post support so as to facilitate the attachment thereof to the post after the latter has been placed in engagement with the support.

A further feature of the invention relates to the prevention of water remaining in contact with the post to thus minimize dry rotting effects. 1

These and other objects and features of the invention as well as the attendant advantages thereof will become more apparent from a persual of the following description of the accompanying drawing wherein:

'Fig. l is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the invention and illustrating such embodiment as actually utilized in supporting the lower end of a vertical post upon a concrete surface,

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the post support as taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the post support, one element thereof being shown in phantom so that details of construction can be more clearly visualized,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective of one element of the post support illustrating certain details thereof,

Fig. 5 is an isometric view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a somewhat modified embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 66 of Fig. 5, and illustrating certain structural details.

As can be visualized most clearly with reference to Fig. 1, the post support embodying the present invention is arranged to hold the lower end of a vertical wooden post P in spaced relation to, but at the same time firmly anchored to a concrete or other supporting surface. Generally, the post support includesa member 10 that is fabricated so that it may be readily attached to the wooden post P as by nailing, and means for clamping this member 10 firmly in a desired position on the concrete surface. As herein shown, such clamping means is adapted to function with a projecting threaded metal stud S, such as the type employed in attaching the conventional mud sill to a concrete foundation.

The aforementioned member 10 which is attached to the end of the post P' preferably takes the form of a socket which receives the end of the post and engages all four sides thereof. The socket member 10 is formed from a singlepiece of sheet metal and incldes a rectangular base plate 12 from each edge of which a rectangular flange14 rises substantially vertically. The base plate is provided with a large central circular opening 16 that is adapted to accommodate a projecting stud S when such socket member 10* is placed properly on the cencrete. Openings 17 and 18 are provided in each of the rectangular flanges -14 adjacent the two upper corners thereof, such openings being of a dimension such that the shank of a nail can pass freely therethrough, but the head portion will be stopped. As can be best visualized with reference to Fig. 1, adjacent openings 17 and 18 in adjacent flanges are displaced vertically so that no interference will be had when nails are aplied through both of the openings into a post P.

Preferably, the means for clamping the socket member 10 on the cencrete surface constitutes a circular metal disk 20 that is'provided with a radial slot 21 whose width is such that the projecting stud S may extend therethrough. The diameter of the disk is substantially equivalent to the space between opposite flanges 14 of the socket member 10, and as a consequence, the disk 20 can be inserted into. the socket member so as to rest on the base plate 12 in covering relation to the circular opening 16 therein.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a spacer member 22 is also arranged for insertion into the socket member 10. Such spacer member 22 constitutes a metal plate which is flanged downwardly at opposite ends to provide legs indicated at 23. As best shown in Fig. 4, each of these legs 23 is centrally slotted, as indicated at 24; the depth of such slot being slightly greater than the thickness of the previously described disk 20.

The described socket member 10, slotted disk 20 and spacer member 22 constitute separate and distinct parts formed by suitable die operations and are, in accordance with the present invention, secured in cooperative relationship only upon application to the support of a post. In this manner, welding and other expensive pro duction operations are avoided.

When a post is to be supported, the correct position thereof is first ascertained, and the socket member 10 can then be properly placed on the concrete surface in encompassing relation to the projecting stud S which has been previously set. Any slight discrepancies in the placement of the stud S can be accommodated by a mere shifting of the socket member 10 in relation to such stud,

this accommodation being enabled because of the large circular opening 16 in the socket member. The discrepancy in the original placement of the stud S can also be accommodated when on the next step of assembly, the disk 20 is inserted into the socket member. It is merely necessary to rotate the disk until the stud S can be received through the slot 21. After the disk 20 has been inserted, a nut N can be applied to the upper end of the stud S and be screwed into tight engagement therewith. When the disk is thus held by the application of the nut N, the periphery of the disk clamps the base plate 12 of the socket member firmly against the concrete surface. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, small projections or knobs 25 can be formed on the under side of the disk 20 so as to dig into the concrete and frictionally resist any shifting or rotation thereof. The spacer member 22 is at this point inserted into the clamped socket member 10 so that the legs 23 are brought to bear against the base plate 12, the slots 24 accommodating the periphery of the disk 20.

At this point the post support is in readiness to receive the lower end of a post. If lateral insertion of the post end is desired, one of the flanges 14 may be bent downwardly and thus enable such insertion. If the sheet metal forming the socket member is relatively thick, a slot, such as indicated at 26, can be formed at the bend line be tween the base plate 12 and the flange 14. When the post is inserted, its lower end rests upon the spacer member 22 and its sides are engaged by the rectangular flanges 14. The flanges 14- are thereafter secured to the post by the driving of nails through the openings 17 and 18 into the wood, such action completing the installation.

When the installation is thus completed, the post P is firmly secured to the concrete by the post support, but is held above the surface of the concrete and thus out of contact with moisture that may be deposited on the concrete. As a consequence, in addition to being firmly anchored to the concrete, the post P is less subject to deterioration and ultimate failure in its supporting function.

In most of its aspects, the modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is identical to that shown in the preceding figures and hereinabove described. Therefore, like numerals are employed to designate like parts. The modification is primarily directed to the formation of the socket member generally indicated at 10' in Figs. 5 and 6. Two opposing flanges 14 in this socket member 10' are provided with small slots at their edges, these being indicated at 27. The other two opposing flanges 14 have small integral ears 28 extending from their edges at a level equivalent to the level of the described slots 27. Each ear 28 is provided with an opening 29 sufliciently large to permit the reception of a nail shank.

After this post support has been secured on a concrete foundation in the manner described with respect to the first embodiment of the invention, and the post has been inserted, the described cars 28 are bent to overlie the slots 27 in the adjacent flange 14 and the nails are then applied. Because of the described arrangement, only four nails are required, and a consequent reduction in both labor and materials over that required with the first embodiment of the invention is effected.

Various other alterations and modifications can obviously be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. As a consequence, the foregoing description of two embodiments of the invention is to be considered as purely exemplary and not in a limiting sense; the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A post support for connecting a post to a threaded stud projecting from a surface which comprises a socket member including a rectangular base plate and a pinrality of upwardly bent flanges formed integrally therewith and adapted to engage the sides of a post, said base plate having a large opening therein adapted to receive the stud, whereby the disposition of said socket member can be adjusted laterally with respect to the received stud, and a slotted disc larger than the opening in said base plate arranged to rest on said base plate, acconmodates the stud at a selected position in its slot, and clamps said base plate against the surface upon application of a nut to the stud.

2. A post support according to claim 1 wherein said upwardly bent flanges have openings for the reception of nails and openings in adjacent flanges are vertically spaced one from the other.

3. A post support for connecting a post to a threaded stud projecting from a surface which comprises a socket member including a rectangular base plate and a plurality of upwardly bent flanges formed integrally therewith, said base plate having a large opening therein adapted to receive the stud whereby the disposition of said socket member can be adjusted laterally with respect to the received stud, a slotted disc larger than the opening in said base plate arranged to rest on said base plate to accommodate the stud at a selected position in its slot, and clamp said base plate against the surface upon application of a nut to the stud, and a spacer arranged for insertion into said socket member and adapted to hold the end of a post in spaced relation to said base plate and said disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 756,504 Keil Apr. 5, 1904 797,083 Stowe Aug. 15, 1905 1,120,048 Glass Dec. 8, 1914 1,791,135 Kummer Feb. 3, 1931 1,852,650 Halberstadter Apr. 5, 1932 2,490,854 Bozoti Dec. 13, 1949 2,638,643 Olson May 19, 1953 

